Alicia Weddler, Food & Drink Writer
Dickinson & Morris is looking to drive renewed interest in the pork pie category this spring and summer with the launch of two limited-edition products, backed by consumer insight pointing to a clear opportunity to keep the British classic relevant for today’s shoppers.
The Melton Mowbray pork pie brand has launched its new Picnic Pleaser (Ploughman’s) - in collaboration with renowned pie specialist Calum Franklin, dubbed “the pie king” by Jamie Oliver - and Pork, Chicken & Hot Honey Minis, with both products designed to tap into growing demand for sharable formats, bolder flavours and more occasion-led eating.
The launches come at a time when classic British foods continue to hold strong emotional and behavioural relevance with UK consumers, but also face pressure to evolve for the next generation of shoppers.
New research commissioned by Dickinson & Morris found that pork pies remain a regular part of modern eating habits, with 30% of Brits saying they eat them at least once a month. Among younger adults, that figure rises to 37% of Gen Z and 33% of millennials, compared with 26% of Gen X and 27% of Boomers - indicating the category continues to resonate well beyond its traditional core audience.
The research also points to strong underlying affection for the product. Pork pies rank among the top British foods people would be saddest to lose from everyday life, with 19% of Brits choosing them overall. Among Gen Z, classic British foods also continue to carry emotional value, with 27% saying they make them feel proud.
At the same time, the findings underline why continued innovation matters. The same proportion of Brits (19%) also believe pork pies could become less common over the next 100 years, suggesting that while the product remains loved, its future relevance cannot be taken for granted.
For Dickinson & Morris, that presents both a challenge and an opportunity: to retain the craft, quality and heritage shoppers expect from pork pies, while giving them new relevance through stronger flavour, more occasion-led thinking and formats that feel right for the way people want to eat today.
The new Picnic Pleaser (Ploughman’s) is the second Dickinson & Morris collaboration with pie expert Calum Franklin and has been developed as a larger-format pie designed for sharing occasions.
Franklin is best known as the chef who worked his culinary magic at Holborn Dining Room before opening his own Pie Room there in 2018, and now brings his British pastry to London through his partnership with Guinness at its new Storehouse, as well as sharing his pie-oneering spirit through his best-selling book, The Pie Room.
Positioned as the lead product for more traditional pork pie shoppers, the Picnic Pleaser is intended to bring decorative craft, strong flavour and a more elevated feel to lunch, picky tea and picnic moments - helping Dickinson & Morris stand out with a product that feels both classic and special.
Alongside it, the new Pork, Chicken & Hot Honey Minis are a limited-edition four-pack designed to bring more flavour interest and a spicy kick to the mini pork pie format. Replacing Dickinson & Morris’ 4 Pack Mini Meltons, the line is aimed at a younger audience to show how the format can feel more contemporary, more distinctive and more relevant to modern snacking and sharing occasions.
It also taps into the growing momentum behind hot honey as a flavour trend, with 82% of shoppers saying they would expect to find hot honey in the condiment aisle1, and #hothoney generating more than 100 million TikTok views over the past year.
The launches sit under the brand’s wider ‘For Impeccably Good Taste’ platform - developed by creative agency Robot Food, with PR support led by London agency Splendid Communications.
Chef Calum Franklin of Dickinson & Morris Pork Pies said: “Pork pies have an enormous amount going for them as a category - heritage, craftsmanship, quality and a really distinctive place in British food culture. But like any traditional product, they need to keep earning their space by staying relevant to the way people want to eat today.
“With the Picnic Pleaser, we wanted to create something that feels generous and made for sharing - a product that can play a stronger role in modern social occasions, from picnic spreads to casual entertaining. And with the Hot Honey Minis, it was about showing that pork pies can still surprise people, offering a flavour profile that feels current, bold and commercially exciting.
“That balance between respecting the craft and bringing in something new is where the opportunity lies for the category.”
Ali Johns, Head of Sales & Marketing at Dickinson & Morris Pork Pies, said: “There is a real opportunity to remind shoppers why pork pies deserve a place in today’s baskets - not just as a traditional staple, but as a versatile, high-quality and evolving category.
“Our research shows the appetite is still there, particularly among younger consumers, but it also highlights the importance of keeping the category fresh, visible and relevant. That’s exactly what these launches are designed to do.
With shoppers continuing to look for products that deliver on flavour, familiarity and flexibility across multiple eating occasions, Dickinson & Morris is positioning its latest launches as a way to help keep pork pies front of mind and drive renewed interest in the category over the spring and summer period.
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